New power after the Summer Olympics 70 years ago
In the 70 years since the Helsinki Summer Olympics the Finnish capital’s airport has grown from a simple airfield built in a formerly wooded area into one of the world’s leading airports.
Located in the neighbouring municipality of Vantaa the airport was first opened to serve visitors attending the Helsinki Olympics held in the summer of 1952. The finishing touches were completed after the event, and Helsinki airport (HEL) was officially inaugurated on 24 October 1952.
HEL emerged as a significant European airport from 2010 onwards, having grown into one of the continent’s leading locations for long-haul traffic and transfer points between Asia and Europe – also for freight, with Finnair Cargo’s hub oscillating around the continent's 20th rank.
In September HEL’s cargo volumes came to 13,570 t (–11.7% year-on-year). It handled 128,894 t (+8.6%) of cargo in the first nine months of 2022. (ah)